As measles cases surge in Texas, health officials are raising alarms over a troubling trend: parents intentionally exposing their children to the virus in so-called "measles parties" hoping to build natural immunity. While some believe this approach mimics the immunity gained from past infections, experts warn it's a dangerous gamble that could have fatal consequences.
Measles parties are inspired by the chickenpox gatherings of the 1970s, where unvaccinated children were deliberately exposed to the virus in hopes of developing immunity at a young age when the illness was considered milder. However, experts warn that this approach is far more dangerous when it comes to the measles virus.
Dr. Ron Cook, chief health officer at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, calls measles parties "a foolish thing," as the virus is highly unpredictable, and there is no way to determine how severe an infection will be.
"We can't predict who is going to do poorly with measles, be hospitalized, and potentially get pneumonia or encephalitis and or pass away from this. It is just too risky ... we don't get to pick and choose who is going to do well and not do well when you become severely ill. Please don't do that, it's just foolishness, it's playing roulette," Dr Cook said in a press conference.
Around 30% of children who contract measles may develop complications, and the infection can lead to long-term health consequences, he warned.
"There are severe outcomes like pneumonia or death. There is encephalitis or inflammation of the brain. Even more rare, but it can happen ... years down the road after you develop measles, you can get what is called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, which is fatal. It is a known side effect of having measles," Dr. Cook added.
Texas health officials also warn that intentionally exposing children to the measles virus does not just put them at risk, it endangers other unvaccinated individuals and those with weakened immune systems, increasing the potential for severe complications and outbreaks.
The safest way to protect against measles is to get vaccinated. Receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine provides 97% protection against measles, significantly reducing the risk of infection and severe complications. Without immunity, nearly everyone exposed to measles will contract it, and once infected, there is no specific treatment to cure the disease.
